Re: Y2000 Incentives

Rich and Charlie,

In a message dated 97-05-31 00:01:21 EDT, you write:

> >I am interested in creative incentives that companies are offering MIS
staff
>  >members to stay with their respective firms through the year 2000
problem.
>  >Please e-mail me directly with any ideas or plans.
>  >
>  How about putting an AS/400 at home for as long as the staff member
remains
>  with the company?
>  
>  How about guaranteeing the staff member at least one conference per year,
>  e.g. COMMON?

<<begin soapbox mode>>

How about just treating the employee with the respect they deserve?  I
realize that this may be a novel concept to many managers, but it IS do-able.
 Don't give me that "small shop, small budget" argument, it won't fly here.
 If the employee has legitimate knowledge and/or skills that are valuable to
the company, PAY FOR THEM!  This includes providing educational seminars and
other training.  If you are adequately compensating the employee for their
level of expertise, he/she will not leave based upon their increased
knowledge -- they will simply provide more value in-house.

This is a particular sore spot with me.  I spent three years arguing 10%
increases for my employees, while I myself could only hope for 6% in a good
year.  This probably was one of the eventual causes for my departure, but I
was willing to "do the right thing" by the people that made me look good year
in and year out.  I even hired an employee making more money than I did from
the start, because I knew the company needed him.  Despite the fact that my
salary set the "MIN" for my position our corporation, I saw no reason that my
employees should endure the same fate.

Corporate salary guidelines are just that, GUIDELINES.  YOUR manager will
fight you tooth and nail, but you CAN overcome these guidelines.  If you lose
your job later because of it, you can at least feel good about yourself --
and take comfort in the fact that even CIO's rarely last more than two years.
 I have been known to dismiss employees of marginal value because they were
endangering the loyalty of employees of great value.  You don't NEED a Y2K
incentive, you just need to do what is necessary to keep a valuable employee
in ANY marketplace.

<<end soapbox mode>>

JMHO,

Dean Asmussen
Enterprise Systems Consulting, Inc.
Fuquay-Varina, NC  USA
E-Mail:  DAsmussen@AOL.COM

"Visualize whirled peas" -- Anonymous
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